As many of you will know from my posts on socials, I spent last weekend in Bucharest- the capital city of Romania. This was the first ‘city break’ I had been on in some years and I had a great time. Therefore I wanted to give a short recount of my short time there, to provide you with some suggestions as to what to do, if you fancy exploring one of Europe’s lesser-known, less ‘touristy’ capitals.
Hanu’ lui Manuc
On the first night we went for dinner at Hanu’ lui Manuc, a restaurant in the old town. Bucharest is full of fantastic, traditional architecture; this restaurant was housed in one of the many masterpieces. Our table was booked in the wine cellar, where upon arrival we were provided with a complimentary shot of ‘peach schnapps’. Schnapps and Grappa are akin in Romania apparently- enough to put hairs on the chest of any man. I ordered the veal chop, which was delicious. Despite the quality of the setting and food, the experience was very reasonable in price.
Therme
This was probably the highlight of the trip for me. Therme is a spa, party pool, water park and wellness retreat, all in one. The main pool features multiple swim-up bars (for those looking for a more jovial time) and leads into an outdoor pool that has multiple jacuzzis. Off of the main pool is a collection of water slides, and upstairs is home to plethora of themed saunas, ranging from Amazonian and Middle-Eastern, to Himalayan. There are also red light beds, a rainforest themed steam room, and an international restaurant- don’t worry about getting changed, just rock up in your trunks. For additional fees, you can also book-in for a variety of spa treatments and massages. You can easily spend all day at Therme- and I pretty much did.
The National History Museum of Romania
The subsequent day was a cold and wet one. Museums are good places of refuge in such times. The National History Museum is a brilliant place to educate yourself on the history of Romania, as well as to view some incredible art in the form of paintings, artefacts, and stone sculptures from Ancient Rome, as well as royal jewellery and weaponry. This is located in the centre of the city, near the old town, which means you will get a walking tour of some of Bucharest’s finest buildings en route.
The Heaviest Building in the World (Palace of the Parliament)
Palace of the Parliament is such an appropriate name (I feel like ‘the houses of parliament’ would not really do it justice). This is legitimately the heaviest building in the world, and the second largest in the world behind the Pentagon. We did not get to go into the building itself, although I imagine its grandeur very much continues beyond its exterior. To view it from the outside however was a privilege all the same. I love buildings like this; commissioned by God.
Hanu’ Berarilor - Interbelic
After viewing ‘Palace of the Parliament’, we went to dinner at a nearby restaurant. Despite us booking, they were unable to find our reservation. However that did not stop them putting the 11 of us up in a private eatery, with its own balcony. The grandeur of the setting was again matched by the food. I had the pork cheek with polenta, before indulging in a traditional Romanian dessert called papanasi pronounced ‘papanash’. If I wasn’t cutting weight, I would have been guaranteed to eat myself into a papanasi coma. Doughnuts made with soft cheese, served with sour cream and a selection of jams- what’s not to love? Again, for such an upmarket dining experience, this was very reasonably priced.
Triumph Arch
Tell your missus the trip to Paris is cancelled; you’re taking her to Bucharest instead. Maybe its not as big as the Arch D’Triumph, but I still found it pretty cool and inspiring to look at. We took a walk up to it on our way back to the airport on Sunday. It is situated right next to a lovely park that is home to an outdoor cafe ‘Baraka Bar’ (again, great food) and a large lake- featured below. A beautiful place to meander about on sunny, Autumn day, to finish off the weekend.
Bucharest- get it booked. Now one of my favourite cities.